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Ginky
Ginky is a creature of small proportions, but big personality. He was born into the Shimmerstone Clan on Miser’s Mountain, but was unlucky even according to goblin standards - he was born under a bad omen. The night of his birth was an eclipse, and the stones surrounding his village did not shimmer that night, as they always did. The people of his clan saw the nightly shimmering stones as the source of their “wealth,” prosperity, and lifeblood. Being born on a night without that holy shimmering, Ginky was viewed as an utmost unholy child (maybe they weren’t wrong?). Ginky’s single mother was the only one who wanted him. She pleaded for the village to not kill him - to spare her child. The village elders agreed, on two conditions: Ginky’s mother would be responsible in making sure that Ginky did not cause any trouble, and Ginky would never be allowed to ascend in village rank or produce offspring. As such, Ginky was neutered like a dog. His mother tried her best, but died of a sudden disease a year later. Without ever really having had a parent figure, or any parental supervision at all, Ginky caused far more trouble than the village bargained for. He would pee on anything he could get his grubby little hands on, burn down people’s tents when they were away, and put feces on top of other houses so that all hell came down when it started raining. Behind all of these childish pranks and escapades, Ginky was treated like an animal - a goblin among goblins. There were many nights when he would go to bed hungry, and when he went from tent to tent begging for food, he would be refused, and even beaten. He didn’t have any friends of his own. The other goblins his age would call him “Dullstone” and throw rocks at the sad shelter he called home, a crevice in the rocks that only he was skinny and malnourished enough to get into. He never had a single safe place to cry. He reacted the only way he could - to hide himself behind a shield of crude pranks and meaningless, troublesome escapades. Eventually, the village elders had had enough. They couldn’t stand the eyesore that the poor excuse of a goblin was to their people. So, at the age of five, Ginky was kicked out from his village. Ginky had never really had a home in the Shimmerstone Clan, but outside, he felt even more lost. At least in Shimmerstone, the people acknowledged him, even if it was as an animal. He wandered for a couple weeks, eating whatever scraps, berries, and fungus he could find. There wasn’t much to be found, and soon enough, Ginky became delirious. He continued wandering, falling in and out of consciousness. Eventually, he found himself awakening in what he would find to be the Ruins of Arandale. Clutched in his hands was a book. The book felt… wrong. It was fleshy, and had a face on the cover. It seemed to emanate otherworldly magic. In his stupor, Ginky thought nothing of the low, arrogant voice that spoke to him in a similarly otherworldly language. Without thinking, Ginky responded in the exact same language, and was surprised to find out that he now knew Deep Speech. The book very obviously despised Ginky, but Ginky didn’t notice - it was the first voice he had heard in weeks. The book told him he was named Lexisomethingorother (Lexicon of Unending Fathoms), but he was just known as Lexi to Ginky. Not moments after these unwelcome introductions, a third, booming voice spoke to both of them. All it said was “Potential,” and nothing more. With a realization of horror, Lexi knew that it would be a long time until he was free from this endless hell. After all, there now existed a soul bond between Ginky and his new friend Lexi. Before Lexi, Ginky was good for nothing. He was viewed as - and lived as - the scum of Eratha. Unlike Ginky, Lexi was smart. He was powerful, and meant for something greater. For some god-unknown reason, he was now stuck with a devilish goblin for life, and had to make the most of it. He began to teach Ginky spells and help him survive in this harsh world, and for the next four years, they developed a bond beyond their souls. Lexi did so out of duty, and out of a hope for reaching this “potential,” and Ginky did so for the first person he considered a friend. Ginky also began to feel a strong sense of protection over Lexi. Ginky is, in all respects, an underdeveloped child. He never had anyone, and now that he had someone, anyone, he would never let anything hurt him or get between them. Ginky would kill for Lexi. Now an apprentice wizard, Ginky found himself travelling the land, learning more from Lexi and practicing his magic. One unfortunate day, he found himself in Riverwatch, performing his usual shtick - use illusion magic, trick the locals, and steal their goods and food. This time, however, it was a trap. From behind him, Ginky heard a voice say “You have something that belongs to me.” Turning around, he saw it to be a towering man of black metal and golden, piercing eyes. The man began to reach his metal hand toward Ginky, and Lexi yelled at Ginky to run. Lexi wasn’t sure how, but he somehow knew this man, and knew he meant danger. Ginky threw his cloak into the air to try and distract - to get away - and ran. It wasn’t easy getting away. It seemed that behind every corner Ginky took, the man of black metal was there, waiting. Ginky got out of Riverwatch, but the chase continued for days. Trying to hide in Bittergate, Ginky found an old man willing to shelter him. This was yet another trap, and the old man a wizard that wanted Ginky and Lexi to be able to give to the Empire himself. Thus, Ginky was taken to The Pit, where he met the others of the party. For the most part, Ginky stays with the group because he’s begun to view them as friends. He is still just a lost child, hiding his insecurities and past behind stupid humor and disgusting pranks. However, he knows that this group means well, and that they are against the Netharans. The Netharans want Lexi, and so Ginky wants them dead.